Oil separator



- July 12,1927. 1,635,218

W. M. LITTLE' ET AL OIL SEPARATOR Filed March 27, 1926 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 Inventors Attorney July 1927' w. M. LITTLE irr'm.

0113 SEPAR'A'IOR Filed March 27. 1926 2 Shuts-$110012 Attorney Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM M. LITTLE AND JESSIE L. SHERMAN, OF NOBPHLET, ARKANSAS.

OIL SEPARATOR.

Application filed March 27, 1926.. Serial No. 97,922.

The present invention relates to a separat ing device whereby the good oil may be separated from the gas, water, etc., in crude oil.

The invention aims to improve upon the structure shown in our pending applications Serial No. 51.551, filed September 4, 1924,

and Serial No. 73,492, filed December 5, 1925.

The principal object of the invention lies in the improvement of the float to prevent crushing thereof, and an adjustable fulcrum mounting for the lever which controls the valve in the separator.

\Vith the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the separator, embodying the features of our invention,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectiontherethrough, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section therethrough, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing one end of the fulcrum frame.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it'will be seen that 5 designates the tank which may be of any preferred construction, having a depending cylindrical portion 6 and an up standing cylindrical portion 7 registering therewith. A. hollow float 8 operates in the tank and in the extensions 6 and 7. A hollow stem 9 rises from the upper end of the hollow float 8 and the upper open end thereof moves in the cylindrical extension 10 of a cap 11 engaged on the upper end of the cylindrical section 7. The gas and air may thus fill the float 8 so that it is prevented from becoming crushed.

A lever 12 is pivoted as at 13 to an intermediate portion of the float 8. An arm 1 1 depends from an intermediate portion of the lever and terminates in a ball valve 15 which may be of any preferred construction. A water take-off pipe 16 rises through the bottom of the tank and terminates in a seat 17 for the ball valve 15. A base 18 is mounted in the bottom of the tank 5 and has a dove-tailed groove 19 in the upper sur face thereof. A dove-tailed slide 20 is mounted in the groove 19 and has a fulcrum frame 21 rising therefrom and tern'iinating at one end in a vertical loop 22, in which is journaled a pair of spaced guide A ball'and socket joint is provided at the rear end of the frame 21 and includes a socket 241 fixed to the frame and a ball or head 26 fixed toashank 27, the intermediate portion of which .is threaded as at 28. A stuffing box 29 is provided at one end of the tank thru which the rod 27 extends. threaded sleeve 30 projects inwardly of the end of the tank for the reception of the threaded portion 28 of the rod 27.

It will be apparent by turning this rod 27, the frame 21 and the slide 20. may be shifted longitudinally of the tank for the purpose of shifting the location of the fulcrum of the lever 12, thereby regulating the opening of the valve 15 for taking off the water through the water take-off pipe 16. The numeral 32 designates the drain pipe which is normally'closed in any preferred manner, not shown, and communicates with the bottom portion of the tank 5 preferably at one end.v

The numeral 33 denotes the vapor pipe line, which preferably leads inthe top of the tank 5. The crude oil flows into and from the tank at the ends not shown, in any preferred manner. The pipe 32 is closed and opened in any preferred manner for-draining the tank 5 as is desirable from time to time. The vapors from the oil will escape through the pipe 33. The float 8 is controlled by the water in the tank and will rise and fall therewith. The float '8 controls the valve 15 as heretofore explained and the fulcrum is adjustable so as to control the opening of the valve 15 in relation .to the height of the water in the tank. As

rollers 23 between which extends the lever that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed, or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described our invention, What we claim as new is 1. An oil separator of the class described including, in combination, a tank, a pipe leading from the tank, a valve seat formed at the inner end of the pipe, a float operable in the tank, a lever pivoted to the float, a valve on the lever associated with the valve seat, and an adjustable fulcrlun for the lever.

2. An oil separator of the class described including. in combination, a tank, a water take-off pipe leading from the tank, a valve seat formed at the inner end of the water take-off pipe', a lioat operable 111 the tank, a lever pivoted to the float, a valve on the lever associated With the valve seat, a base in the tank having a groove, a slide in the groove, a frame on the slide, one end of the frame terminating in a loop, a pair of spaced rollers journaled in the loop. for receiving the lever therehetween, and means for sliding"- the frame and slide longitudinally of the tank for adjusting the fulcrum of the lever.

3. An oil separator of the class described including, incoinbination, a tank, a water take-off pipe leading from the tank, a valve seat formed at the inner end of the Water take-off pipe, a float operable in the tank, a lever pivoted to the float, a valve on the lever associated with the valve seat, a base in the tank havihg a groove, a slide in the groove,

a frame on the slide, one end of the frame terminating in a loop, a pair of spaced rollers journaled in the loop for receiving the lever therehetween, means for sliding the frame and slide longitudinally of the tank for adjusting the fulcrum of the lever, said means comprising a rod threaded through one end of the tank and engaged with the frame. 7

In testimony whereof we afix our signatures.

\VILLIAM M. LITTLE. JESSIE L. SHERMAN. 

